The American Water Spaniel, native to the lake country of the upper Midwest, is an upbeat, outdoorsy athlete who loves to hunt and swim. They are known to be happy, eager, and charming, though aloof with strangers and a bit stubborn.
The American Water Spaniel was developed in the United States as an all-around hunting dog, bred to retrieve from skiff or canoes and work ground with relative ease. The American Water Spaniel is an active muscular dog, medium in size with a marcel to curly coat. Emphasis is placed on proper size and a symmetrical relationship of parts, texture of coat and color.
15 to 18 inches for either sex. Males weighing 30 to 45 pounds. Females weighing 25 to 40 pounds. Females tend to be slightly smaller than the males. There is no preference for size within the given range of either sex providing correct proportion, good substance and balance is maintained. Proportion - is slightly longer than tall, not too square or compact. However, exact proportion is not as important as the dog being well-balanced and sound, capable of performing the breed's intended function. Substance - a solidly built and well muscled dog full of strength and quality. The breed has as much substance and bone as necessary to carry the muscular structure but not so much as to appear clumsy
The head must be in proportion to the overall dog. Moderate in length. Expression is alert, self-confident, attractive and intelligent. Medium size eyes set well apart, while slightly rounded, should not appear protruding or bulging. Lids tight, not drooping. Eye color can range from a light yellowish brown to brown, hazel or of dark tone to harmonize with coat. Disqualify yellow eyes. Yellow eyes are a bright color like that of lemon, not to be confused with the light yellowish brown. Ears set slightly above the eye line but not too high on the head, lobular, long and wide with leather extending to nose. Skull rather broad and full, stop moderately defined, but not too pronounced. Muzzle moderate in length, square with good depth. No inclination to snipiness, the lips are clean and tight without excess skin or flews. Nose dark in color, black or dark brown. The nose sufficiently wide and with well-developed nostrils to insure good scenting power. Bite either scissor or level.
Neck round and of medium length, strong and muscular, free of throatiness, set to carry head with dignity, but arch not accentuated. Topline level or slight, straight slope from withers. Body well-developed, sturdily constructed but not too compactly coupled. Well-developed brisket extending to elbow neither too broad nor too narrow. The ribs well-sprung, but not so well-sprung that they interfere with the movement of the front assembly. The loins strong, but not having a tucked-up look. Tail is moderate in length, curved in a rocker fashion, can be carried either slightly below or above the level of the back. The tail is tapered, lively and covered with hair with moderate feathering.
Shoulders sloping, clean and muscular. Legs medium in length, straight and wellboned but not so short as to handicap for field work or so heavy as to appear clumsy. Pasterns strong with no suggestion of weakness. Toes closely grouped, webbed and well-padded. Size of feet to harmonize with size of dog. Front dewclaws are permissible.
Well-developed hips and thighs with the whole rear assembly showing strength and drive. The hock joint slightly rounded, should not be small and sharp in contour, moderately angulated. Legs from hock joint to foot pad moderate in length, strong and straight with good bone structure. Hocks parallel.
Coat can range from marcel (uniform waves) to closely curled. The amount of waves or curls can vary from one area to another on the dog. It is important to have undercoat to provide sufficient density to be of protection against weather, water or punishing cover, yet not too coarse or too soft. The throat, neck and rear of the dog well-covered with hair. The ear wellcovered with hair on both sides with ear canal evident upon inspection. Forehead covered with short smooth hair and without topknot. Tail covered with hair to tip with moderate feathering. Legs have moderate feathering with waves or curls to harmonize with coat of dog. Coat may be trimmed to present a well groomed appearance; the ears may be shaved; but neither is required.
Color either solid liver, brown or dark chocolate. A little white on toes and chest permissible.
The American Water Spaniel moves with well-balanced reach and drive. Watching a dog move toward one, there should be no signs of elbows being out. Upon viewing the dog from the rear, one should get the impression that the hind legs, which should be well-muscled and not cowhocked, move as nearly parallel as possible, with hocks doing their full share of work and flexing well, thus giving the appearance of power and strength.
Eager, Happy, Charming
Yellow eyes.
Sporting
American Water Spaniels are muscular midsize gundogs, not flashy in looks or performance, and recognizable by a luscious brown coat that is either tightly curled or wavy. Bred to work the icy waters and marshy banks of the Great Lakes region, these spaniels are ideally outfitted for the job: The coat is dense and waterproof, the feet are thickly padded, the toes are webbed, and the body is small enough for the dog to hop in and out of a skiff without rocking the boat. The breed’s admirers describe it as a merry, intelligent, and versatile spaniel suited to a variety of dog sports. As hunters, they combine the working traits of spaniels and retrievers. The key to the American Water Spaniel’s happiness is activity, especially alongside their adored human. An underemployed dog can be barky and destructive.
The development of the American breeds is a classic case of “Yankee ingenuity”—a particular genius for adapting Old World materials to solve New World problems. An obvious example would be how American settlers utilized European breeds in the creation of the “coonhounds” who helped propel our nation’s westward expansion by supplying a steady source of meat and fur. Another good example of Yankee ingenuity is the American Water Spaniel. The European immigrants who settled Wisconsin and Minnesota depended on the region’s plentiful waterfowl for sustenance. Over generations they utilized various European breeds in creating a wholly new dog, the American Water Spaniel, to meet the unique challenges of hunting in and around the Great Lakes. Exactly how, when, or where the breed was created will probably remain a mystery. The Irish Water Spaniel, the Curly-Coated Retriever, and the now extinct English Water Spaniel have been mentioned in histories as possible component breeds. Their names have been lost to history, but the practical-minded frontiersmen behind the American Water Spaniel conceived the breed as an all-in-one hunting companion possessed of an excellent nose, expert at retrieving downed waterfowl (they swim like seals, say the breed’s admirers) but also adept at springing such upland game birds as grouse, quail, and pheasant. The breed has even been known to do a little rabbit hunting on the side. Before you set your heart on this dog, be advised that these days the breed is scarce. The American Water Spaniel Club estimates that there are probably no more than 3,000 in existence. The American Water Spaniel entered the AKC Stud Book in 1940 and was named Wisconsin’s official state dog in 1985.
The American Water Spaniel was developed in the United States as an all-around hunting dog, bred to retrieve from skiff or canoes and work ground with relative ease. The American Water Spaniel is an active muscular dog, medium in size with a marcel to curly coat. Emphasis is placed on proper size and a symmetrical relationship of parts, texture of coat and color.
The American Water Spaniel should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.
The American Water Spaniel has a dense, waterproof coat that can be either tightly curled or wavy. The breed was bred to work in the icy waters of the Great Lakes region, and its insulating, double-layer coat makes that possible. Weekly grooming is required, but it is a fairly simple process. During the summer, the coat is sparser, and can be brought into shape with a rubber-tipped pin brush. The rest of the year, and especially during shedding season, a slicker brush should be used to remove the dead hair from the undercoat. As with all breeds, the American Water Spaniel‘s nails should be trimmed regularly.
American Water Spaniels are outdoorsy athletes who love hunting and swimming, so they need ample exercise. Without sufficient activity, they can become barky and destructive. At a minimum, vigorous play sessions with their owner or a companion dog in a park or a large backyard are needed every day. They truly thrive, however, when given a job to do and make great hunting companions—after all, it’s in their DNA. Participating in field trials or obedience, agility, or dock diving events will give the American Water Spaniel a chance to burn off all that excess energy in a positive way.
As with all breeds, early socialization puppy training classes are highly recommended. Socialization—gently exposing the puppy to a wide variety of people, places, and situations between the ages of about 7 weeks and 4 months—will help him develop into a well-adjusted, well-mannered adult. American Water Spaniels are often aloof with strangers, and some may have a touch of stubbornness, but they are happy creatures who want nothing more than to please their owners. This makes training them easy and fun. Given this breed’s energy and innate talents, owners and their dogs enjoy participating together in canine sports such as tracking agility, barn hunt, and flyball, as well as field events, which teach the dog to flush game and retrieve waterfowl.
As with all breeds, the majority of American Water Spaniels will live long and healthy lives when given proper care and regular veterinarian visits. A responsible breeder will test breeding stock for health concerns such as hip dysplasia, eye disorders, cardiac abnormalities and degenerative myelopathy.
